Your 4 hp Mercury outboard, serial number 2779869 is a 1970 year model.
In addition to the engine serial number, the horsepower rating is needed to determine the year model for a Mercury outboard.
A 4 hp Mercury outbard, serial number 3533703, would be a 1973 model.
The blue stripe 4 cylinder 50 hp Mercury outboard was produced in the early to mid 1970's. The serial number 3350793 would be a 1972 year model.
If the first digit in this serial number is possibly "A", instead of 4, this would be a 1987 year model 8hp. I do not recall the 8hp model Mercury outboard in production before the A model, in 1986.
In order to determine the year model of a Mercury outboard, one needs to know the engine serial number, and the horsepower rating. This information is compared to an engine model / year chart to find the year model of a paricular engine.but where do you find this?
No
1988
The serial number for a Mercury 4-stroke 60 hp outboard motor is typically located on the transom bracket or the mounting bracket. It's often found on a metal plate or sticker that is affixed to the motor. Additionally, you can check the owner's manual for specific details on serial number location, as it may vary slightly between models.
A 4 hp Mercury outboard, produces a true 4 hp, rated at the prop.
4 cylinder dates from 1989,you may have the first 2 digits wrong.
I would love to help you with this, but I found the database for Mercury serial numbers at Mariine Engine (dot) com, and their database jumps from 7.5 HP to 50 HP! There is nothing in between! If it is labeled as a forty horse Merc, it is certainly older, as their database goes back to only 1977 - which (ouch!) was 34 years ago. The only thing I can say for sure is "pre-1977".